Materials handling pallet



Dec. 27 1955 w. R. HERMITAGE 2,723,545

MATERIALS HANDLING PALLET Filed Dec. 29, 1952 PM/ T/YGE kV/zz 097V 12. 175 6%1 United States Patent 6) MATERIALS HANDLING PALLET William R. Hermitage, Westmount, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application December 29, 1952, Serial No. 328,372

9 Claims. (Cl. 248-120) The present invention relates to the manufacture of pallets and more particularly to the manufacture of pallets from fibreboard.

Portable platforms or pallets are in general use for the storage and transportation of goods. While the majority of these pallets are made of wood and/ or steel, present day manufacturers have found that the use of pallets made of lighter and cheaper materials presents. considerable advantages.

For example, a solid pallet made of wood or steel has a considerable weight and accordingly adds to the shipping costs and moreover, consumes considerable space. Further, as the cost of these pallets is an item that must be considered, thought must also be given to their return.

To overcome these disadvantages, there have been several pallet constructions designed wherein the material used for their construction comprises of corrugated cardboard or fibreboard. The use of material of this nature allows the pallets to be made considerably lighter and furthermore in some cases the fibreboard pallets can be supplied in knocked down form which reduces shipping costs both in their initial use and subsequent return shipment.

In order to provide the desired structural strength to these fibreboard pallets, the main supporting members of the known prior art constructions are usually made up of numerous folds of fibreboard which are arranged to provide a hollow or semi-solid unit simulating wooden supporting beams.

While consideration has been given in these prior art constructions of the necessary strength to support a vertical load, in many cases little consideration has been given to the sideways or lateral load which the supporting members will encounter in use. Accordingly, most of the known prior art fibreboard pallet supporting members are made as rectangular tubes which are filled.

or crossbraced with other folds of fibreboard material. The vertical sides of these supporting members are straight with respect to the platform whichthey. support with the problem of sideways load orlateral sway being taken. care of by internal bracing.

The present invention aims to provide a pallet construction designed to utilize sheets of corrugated and/or solidv fibreboard wherein the supporting members have been designed to. take care of all load factors either directly vertical or sideways. This is accomplished by forming the supporting members from a. single, piece of fibreboard which is creased and folded so that in cross section each supporting member defines a trapezoid withthe relatively wider base forming the lower portion of the supporting member and the relatively narrow top portion preferably disposed directly beneath the platform of the pallet on which the load is to be placed. It is also contemplated that the supporting members may be used in a reverse position relativeto the load.

In a preferred construction the present pallet construetion comprises of a flat top platform of corrugated or solid fibreboard and a fiat bottom platformof similat material with a plurality of spaced apart supporting members disposed between the top and bottom platformsv to maintain the platforms in spaced apart rela-- tionship. The spaces between the top and bottom platforms and the supporting members define passageways adapted to permit the entry of a lift truck fork.

In this construction each of the supporting members isv made up of a single sheet of corrugated or solid fibreboard that is creased and folded into an elongated tubular unit of suificient length to preferably span the top and bottom platforms. The folding of the fibreboard comprising the supporting member is such that in cross section the outer folds define a trapezoid and the inner folds define two opposed bracing triangles with their bases resting on the base of the trapezoid and their apices connected by a further fold parallel with the top. Of the trapezoid so that with the inner walls of the. first named triangles they define at least one intervening brac-. ing triangle with the base disposed adjacent the top of the trapezoid and the apex disposed between the bases of the first named bracing triangles.

The supporting members. are preferably secured to the top and bottom platforms byv spaced apart wiring or strapping passing through the platforms and about the supporting members or alternatively the supporting members may be adhesively secured between the top and bottom platforms.

If additional strength is required a separate bracing triangle of creased and folded fibreboard may be inserted within the centre bracing triangle. This supplementary:- bracing triangle is of substantially equal outside dimensions to the inside dimensions of the centre bracing triangle and can, if desired, be adhesively secured in posi tion to give the centre portion of the supporting member additional strength.

As an. alternative construction the supporting members are folded so that the inner folds defining the centre bracingtriangle are arranged so.that it is divided centrally by a further vertical. supporting member which extends from the base of the trapezoid to the top off the trapezoid defining two separate bracingtriangles dis posed in the same location as the single bracing triangle of the preferred construction. As will be. appreciated, the trapezoidal cross. sectional form of the. supporting members gives additional strength against lateral or sideways movement to the pallets as well as providing the maximum in vertical weight distributing and load supporting characteristics.

As the supporting members are preferably made. up of a single sheet of creased and folded fibreboard these may be prepared in bulk and shipped flat together with the top and bottom platforms to the user where they can be easily and quickly folded into; position to form supporting members. In the preferred constructions a marginal portion of both the top and bottom. platforms is left free from connection with the supporting members for about 3 to 5 to, provide a. meansv of placing.

a strap. or binding between the supp rting members and platforms if it is desired to secure a. load to the. platforms;

panying drawings wherein there is shown, by way of illustration preferred embodiments thereof, and in. which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view inperspectiveof a. preferred pallet form constructed in accordancewith the.

invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional, view of the, constructiont shown in. Figure 1 along.- the line; 2:-.2.; to: illustrate. the v shape and folding of a fibreboard sheet comprising a supporting member.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a supporting member corresponding in location to Figure 2 to illustrate an alternative folding arrangement of a supporting member.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of one end of a fibreboard sheet as it would appear when creased and partially folded to form the section shown in Figure 2.

With particular reference to Figure l of the drawings a preferred portable pallet construction in accordance with the present invention comprises of a top platform 10 and a bottom platform 12 having supporting members 14, 16 and 18 disposed therebetween in equally spaced apart relationship. The space 20 between the supporting members 14, 16 and 18 and the top and bottom platforms l and 12 define passageways adapted to receive the fork of a lift truck.

In the construction illustrated the supporting members 14, 16 and 18 are secured to the top and bottom (12) platforms by means of wire binding 22 which passes through suitable slots or openings provided in the top and bottom platforms and about the supporting members as shown in Figure 2.

With particular reference to Figure 2 each of the supporting members 14, 16 and 18 is made up of a single sheet of corrugated or solid fibreboard which is creased and folded, as shown in Figure 4, so as to comprise an elongated tubular unit having open ends. The arrangement of the folds is such that in cross section the outer folds of the supporting members form converging diagonal side walls and parallel top and bottom walls which define a trapezoid the top portion 30 of which is disposed directly beneath the top platform. 10 while the bottom or base portion 32 rests on the bottom platform 12. The inner folds of the supporting member are arranged so that they form converging diagonal side walls and base walls which define a pair of opposed bracing triangles 34 and 36 with their bases resting on the base 32 of the trapezoid and their apices disposed adjacent the top portion 30 of the trapezoid. The con tinuation of these inner folds which connects the apices of the first triangles also defines an inner bracing triangle 38 the apex of which is disposed adjacent the base 32 of the trapezoid while the base is disposed adjacent the top 30 of the trapezoid. With this construction, vertical load on the platform 10 is transmitted from the top portion 30 ofthe trapezoid to the wider base portion 32 both by the outer walls of the trapezoidal formation and the inner walls forming the bracing triangles. Further, the trapezoidal form of the supporting members withstands lateral side sway or side load with minimum deformation to the supporting members. As indicated in broken lines in Figure 2, a supplementary bracing triangle 50 can be inserted within the triangle 38 to give the supporting members additional strength. This supplementary triangle St) is made up of a separate sheet of fibreboard creased and folded to form converging diagonal side walls and a base wall and it may be adhesively secured to the inner walls defining the triangle 38 or alternatively may be merely retained therein by frictional engagement.

In the alternative construction shown in Figure 3 the inner folds of a supporting member are arranged so as to provide a still further double ply vertical brace 40 extending from the top 30 to the base 32 of the trapezoid. Th vertical brace 40 divides the centre portion of the inner folds into two bracing triangles 42 and 44 adding strength and vertical load supporting qualities to the supporting members.

While the construction shown is assembled by means of wire bindings 22 it is also contemplated that similar constructions could be made wherein the supporting members were adhesively secured between the. top and bottom members. It is also contemplated that if desired, and particularly in the cases of lighter loads, that 4 the bottom platform could be dispensed with and the supporting members 14, 16 and 18 could be made in shorter lengths leaving additional openings at each end of the pallet for the entry of a lift truck fork.

In the preferred construction illustrated it will be noted that the first of the bindings 22 do not engage the supporting members 14, 16 and 18 exactly at the marginal edges but a free portion is left as indicated at 49 so as to permit a binding strap to be inserted between the supporting member and the top or bottom platforms to secure a load to the pallet. In the preferred construction the first securing wires are positioned approximately from about 3 to about 5" inwardly from the outer marginal edges of the platforms.

To aid in the understanding of the folding of the supporting members, as shown in Figuresl and 2, from the fiat condition the various folds are indicated as A, B, C and so on on the partially folded section shown in Figure 4 and are correspondingly designated in the section shown in Figure 2. As will be appreciated, the supporting members can be cut and creased and the fold lines identified in a similar manner in production quantities so that they may be shipped to the potential user in flat condition and quickly and easily assembled to form complete pallet constructions as shown in Figure 1. Similar indicating means may also be used for the supporting member shown in Figure 3.

I claim:

1. A portable pallet adapted for use in lift truck operations comprised of a flat rectangular supporting platform and a plurality of separate supporting members disposed beneath said platform in spaced apart alignment with each other to define therebetween and the lower surface of said platform passages to permit entry of a lift truck fork, each of said supporting members consisting of a single continuous sheet of flexible material creased and folded into a tubular element having in cross section outer folds forming opposed converging diagonal side walls and parallel top and bottom walls defining a trapezoid and inner folds formingconverging diagonal side walls and base walls defining opposed bracing triangles, one side wall of each of said triangles disposed in juxtaposed relationship with a corresponding side wall of said trapezoid and their bases resting on the bottom wall of said trapezoid and the apices of said triangles being connected by a further fold extending parallel and adjacent to the top wall of said trapezoid, the whole forming an open-ended hollow truss unit, each of said supporting member folds being continuous and unbroken throughout the length of said member.

2. A portable pallet as claimed in claim 1 wherein a supplementary sheet of flexible material is creased and folded to form converging side walls and a base wall defining a further bracing triangle and said further bracing triangle is inserted in parallel juxtaposed relationship between said opposed first named bracing triangles.

3. A portable pallet adapted for use in lift truck operations comprised of a fiat supporting platform and a plurality of separate supporting members disposed beneath said platform in spaced apart alignment with each other to define therebetween and the lower surface of said platform passages to permit entry of a lift truck fork, each of said supporting members comprising a single continuous sheet of flexible material creased and folded into a tubular element having in cross section outer folds forming opposed converging diagonal side walls and parallel top and bottom walls defining a trapezoid and inner folds forming converging diagonal side walls and base walls defining opposed bracing triangles, one side wall of each of said triangles being in juxtaposed relationship with a corresponding diagonal side wall of said trapezoid and their bases resting on the bottom wall of said trapezoid, the apices of said triangles being connected by a further fold extending parallel with the top wall of said trapezoid,

said further fold including a continuous centrally located two-ply portion extending from said trapezoid top wall to said trapezoid bottom wall, the whole forming an openended hollow truss unit, each of said supporting member folds being continuous and unbroken throughout the length of said member.

4. A portable pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are three supporting members disposed in equally spaced apart relationship beneath and across said platform and the connection between the adjoining surfaces of said supporting members and platform is such that outer marginal portions of said platform extending transversely to said supporting members are free from connection with the outer ends of said supporting members.

5. A portable pallet as claimed in claim 4, wherein the free marginal portions of said platform extend inwardly from the outer marginal edges from about 3 inches to about 5 inches.

6. A portable pallet as claimed in claim 3, wherein a second flat rectangular platform is connected to said supporting members so as to be disposed in parallel alignment with and in spaced-apart relationship from said first platform, with said supporting members being disposed therebetween, the connection between said supporting members and platforms being by engagement of the base and top of the trapezoidal outline of each of said supporting members to said respective platforms.

7. A portable pallet as claimed in claim 3 wherein there are three supporting members disposed in equally spaced apart relationship beneath and across said platform and the connection between the adjoining surfaces of said supporting members and platform is such that outer marginal portions of said platform extending transversely to said supporting members are free from connection with the outer ends of said supporting members.

8. A portable pallet as claimed in claim 7 wherein the free marginal portions of said platform extend inwardly from the outer marginal edges thereof from about three inches to about five inches.

9. A portable pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein a second flat unfolded platform is connected to said supporting members so as to be disposed in parallel alignment with and in spaced-apart relationship from said first platform, with said supporting members being disposed therebetween, the connection between said supporting members and platforms being by engagement of the base and top of the trapezoidal outline of each of said supporting members to said respective platforms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,444,183 Cahners June 29, 1948 2,447,285 Simonton Aug. 17, 1948 2,609,136 Sider Sept. 2, 1952 

